Near Corbières and along the
Mediterranean, this great red wine with the dress of a red
deep ruby has a nose with the notes spiced on ripe fruit
bottom. The mouth is flexible and powerful. AOC since 1948
it is one of oldest names of the area. These quite
constructed wines result mainly from following type of
vines: Carignan, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Lladoner
pelut.
The first "Appellation d'Origine
Contrôlée" wine of Languedoc-Roussillon, is only produced
in nine small communal areas: FITOU,
CAVES,
TREILLES,
LEUCATE
and LA PALME,
which are all beside the sea,
between Narbonne and Perpignan, and CASCASTEL,
PAZIOLS,
TUCHAN,
and VILLENEUVE
in the Corbières-Massif.
History
of Fitou
Documents going back as far as Philip Augustus, Louis XIII
and Louis XIV bear witness to the long-standing reputation
of Fitou wines.Rabelais particularly appreciated "vin de
Palme" which now has the "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Fitou" label.
The
vineyards of Fitou
The vineyards in Fitou are set out on shaly and
argilocalcareous soils with exceptional exposure to the
sun.
The countryside, whose relief consists in parts of
hills and slopes and in others of plateaux, has the
advantage of a particularly dry climate and is often swept
by a high wind, the "Cers".
The
vines of Fitou
The Carignan grape is at its very best in this countryside:
here it ripens to perfection to give strong, full-bodied
wines with real substance and a rich, deep colour.
The
Grenache grape is the ideal complement to the Carignan,
bringing its fine, smooth, mellow qualities.
A small
percentage of Syrah and Mourvèdre also brings its richness
in flavour and a delicious aftertaste worthy of the
greatest of wines.
From the marriage of these varieties of
vines is born the harmony which characterises the Fitou
wines.
The
wines of Fitou
Whilst the region of Fitou, the climate and the vines
enable wines to be produced, which are remarkable for their
body and fullness, the enthusiast has the opportunity to
discover the nuances which develop as the wines mature.
First we find young, full-bodied Fitou wines with the
fragrance of flowers and fruit, rich in noble tanins.
Then,
beyond two years of age, we encounter wines with a real
structure, with a dark, deep colour and a nose with a hint
of violet, liquorice, thyme, rosemary and the flowers of
the Provençal moorland. These Fitou wines are always
elegant and deliciously mellow.
Keeping
Fitou wines
Fitou wines may only be brought on to the market after a
period of nine months after the harvest.
It is then that
their quality is inspected by the "National Institute of
Appellations Contrôlées" and the "Winegrowers
Association".
However, in most cases, the wines are only
made available for consumption after a period of twelve to
eighteen months maturation, for the youngest among them.
A
signal characteristic of A.O.C. Fitou is its capacity to
mature and improve with age.
Thus, extremely good bottles
of Fitou are four or five years old and sometimes much
older still. Allow the bottles of Fitou to mature in a cool
cellar at a relatively constant temperature and you will be
pleasantly surprised.
The Fitou wine matures and brings to
culmination those innate qualities of distinction and
elegance which characterise it.
Fitou
and gastronomy
When young, Fitou wines are a pleasant accompaniment to
white meats and cold meat dishes.
When fully matured to
bring out their bouquet and aromatic flavour, Fitou wines
go perfectly with red meats, game and, of course,
cheese.
"Omnia
fecit deus, Fitou homines"
Without a doubt, one of the symbols of the majesty and
munificence of Fitou wines, the Mesnie des Chevaliers,
created in 1987, celebrates both the bacchic land of
Fitounia and its finest wines, having contributed to their
renown ever since its creation. Thus, constituting a
hundred or so chapters, under the direction of its Grand
Master, over 600 celebrities have been initiated into the
brotherhood.
Every year, in its name, a jury of
connoisseurs awards a coat of arms to Fitou wines of the
highest quality. The coat of arms, appropriately, depicts
the 4 villages of High Fitou (red) and the 5 villages of
Coastal Fitou (blue), Aguilar castle and a cluster of
carignan grapes. Its motto: "Omnia fecit deus, Fitou
homines", "God made all, men
Fitou", full of
southern humour, is a nod in the direction of the "divine
origins" of the Fitou A.O.C, the first red wine of
Languedoc.
DOMAINE DE CAZALS - 11360 CASCASTEL-DES-CORBIERES - Tél. :
DOMAINE GRAND GUILHEM - 11360 CASCASTEL-des-CORBIERES - Tél. : 04 68 45 86 67
LES MAITRES VIGNERONS DE CASCASTEL - 11360 CASCASTEL-DES-CORBIERES - Tél. : 04 68 45 91 74 -
BARREDA VIVIANE - 11510 CAVES - Tél. : 04 68 45 71 60
DOMAINE DES BORIES - 11510 CAVES - Tél. :
DOMAINE DU PORGE - 11510 CAVES - Tél. : 04 68 45 79 00
DOMAINE LANGOUSTET - 11510 CAVES - Tél. : 04 68 45 68 11
DOMAINE SAINT-MICHEL - 11510 CAVES - Tél. : 04 68 45 79 18
ORTUNO JEAN-PIERRE - 11510 CAVES - Tél. : 04 68 45 75 97
CAVE DES VIGNERONS DE FITOU - 11510 FITOU - Tél. : 04 68 45 71 41
CELLIER DE LA PIERRE GIE - 11510 FITOU - Tél. : 04 68 45 70 75
CHATEAU ABELANET - 11510 FITOU - Tél. : 04 68 45 76 50
CHÂTEAU CHAMP DES SŒURS - 11510 FITOU - Tél. : 04 68 45 66 74
CHATEAU LES FENALS - 11510 FITOU - Tél. : 04 68 45 71 94
DOMAINE AYROLLES-CABOT - 11510 FITOU - Tél. : 04 68 45 77 03
DOMAINE DE LA ROCHELIERRE - 11510 FITOU - Tél. : 04 68 45 70 52
DOMAINE DU CAPITAT - 11510 FITOU - Tél. : 04 68 45 76 98
DOMAINE LEPAUMIER - 11510 FITOU - Tél. : 04 68 45 66 95 - Mail
DOMAINE LOU COURTAL DES VIDAL - 11510 FITOU - Tél. :
DOMAINE MAYNADIER - 11510 FITOU - Tél. : 04 68 45 63 11
VILLENEUVE-LES-CORBIERES - Tél. : 04 68 45 82 27 Mail
CHATEAU L'ESPIGNE - 11360 VILLENEUVE-LES-CORBIERES - Tél. : 04 68 45 91 26 Mail
DOMAINE LERYS - 11360 VILLENEUVE-LES-CORBIERES - Tél. : 04 68 45 95 47 Mail
VILLA MARIA FITA - 11360 VILLENEUVE-LES-CORBIERES - Tél. : 04 68 45 81 21 Mail
DOMAINE DE LA GRANGE - 11480 LA PALME - Tél. : 04 68 48 88 40
DOMAINE LA GRANGE - GAEC DELL'OVA - 11480 LA PALME - Tél. : 04 68 48 17 88 Mail
DOMAINE LES MILLE VIGNES - 11480 LA PALME - Tél. : 04 68 48 57 14
DOMAINE LOUIS - 11480 LA PALME - Tél. : 04 68 48 15 59
DOMAINE SAINTE-APHRODISE - 11480 LA PALME - Tél. : 04 68 48 48 21
DOMAINE SAINT-PANCRACE - 11480 LA PALME - Tél. : 04 68 48 50 21 - Mail
GFA PELISSIER - 11480 LA PALME - Tél. : 04 68 48 15 29
LES VIGNERONS DE LA PALME - 11480 LA PALME - Tél. : 04 68 48 15 17
LES VIGNERONS DU CAP LEUCATE ET DE QUINTILLAN - 11370 LEUCATE - Tél. : 04 68 40 01 31
CAVE COOPERATIVE DE PAZIOLS & TUCHAN REUNIS - 11350 PAZIOLS - Tél. : 04 68 45 40 56
DOMAINE BERTRAND BERGE - 11350 PAZIOLS - Tél. : 04 68 45 41 73 -
DOMAINE DE ROUDENE - 11350 PAZIOLS - Tél. : 04 68 45 43 47
CELLIER DU VIEUX PRESSOIR - 11510 TREILLES - Tél. : 04 68 45 75 26
DOMAINE GAUTIER - 11510 TREILLES - Tél. : 04 68 45 71 23
CHATEAU DE NOUVELLES - 11350 TUCHAN - Tél. : 04 68 45 40 03
CHATEAU WIALA - 11350 TUCHAN - Tél. : 04 68 45 49 49
DOMAINE DE ROLLAND - 11350 TUCHAN - Tél. : 04 68 45 42 47 -Mail
LES PRODUCTEURS DU MONT TAUCH - 11350 TUCHAN - Tél. : 04 68 45 41 08
CAVE PILOTE GERARD PLOY - 11360 VILLENEUVE-LES-
CORBIERES - Tél. : 04 68 45 91 59
CHÂTEAU LAHORE-BERGEZ - CHÂTEAU DES ERLES - 11360
DOMAINE LAURIERS - 11360 DURBAN-CORBIERES - Tél. : 04 68 45 86 12
GAEC MAYNADIER - 11210 PORT-LA-NOUVELLE - Tél. : 04 68 48 01 10
The stats on wines from Fitou http://www.terroir-france.com/region/lr_fitou.htm
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